Protein Nutrition Evaluation of Infant Formula with Different Base Materials

Objective:To evaluate protein nutrition differences in infant formulawith different base materials. Methods:In this study, the amino acid composition and content were determined by high performance liquid chromatography with on-line pre-column derivatization of o-phthalaldehyde (OPA) -9-indole methyl chloroformate (FMOC).Based on the ideal amino acid model recommended by WHO/FAO, amino acid score (AAS), amino acid ratio (RC), amino acid ratio coefficient score (SRC), essential amino acid index (EAAI) and gray correlation degree were selected as amino acid evaluation indicators to comprehensive evaluate commercially available infant formula cow and goat milk powders using weighted scoring method. The results showed that:The weighted scores and the comparison of the sub-indices showed that thehuman milk was the best. The essential amino acid composition of human milknot only had the best agreement with the ideal model, but also the best protein quality and the highest utilization rate, indicating human milk the best source of nutrition for infants, while also confirmed the credibility of the comprehensive evaluation method. The first limiting amino acid of the infant formula sample was methionine+cysteine. The essential amino acid index of all the samples was above 90, which belonged to high quality protein source. Among all the samples, the one with the highest comprehensive score was goat milk formula sample C, which was 74.78, although a certain gap still remained between formula cowand goat milk powder with the ideal amino acid model. Overall, Thetotal nutritional evaluation were as follows:thehuman milk > goat milk powder > cow milk powder.